Page 49 of Cursed Wolf

She was in my world now, the truth slowly trickling in. We were getting closer to full, complete honesty, and that made me hopeful.

“So, what do you think of all this?” I asked.

Emmaline looked away from Fallon and Aria chasing each other across the clearing. “I think this place is amazing.” She gave me a wry smile. “I’m a little jealous you got to grow up in a place like this. It’s like a dream. Or a fairytale.” After a slight pause she added, “I think I understand why you weren’t forthright with everything. This place is…precious. It needs to be protected. I’m still not thrilled about the dishonesty, but I can see why you felt the need for it.”

“Thank you. I really wanted you to see Vargmore for yourself.” It was more forgiveness than I expected, or probably even deserved, but from her, I would take it.

Chapter 17

Emmaline

It was near dark by the time Tryn took me home. At one point on the ride back, I felt a distinct sensation over my skin, like invisible fabric passing over me. I wondered if this was the overlap between worlds that Tryn had mentioned.

While in Vargmore, we had lunch at Shiloh’s tavern, adorably called Stout & Spirit. I talked a while with Tryn’s friends, but mostly with Riley, Sawyer’s wife.

Riley was impossible to not like. She made me feel welcome and like we’d been friends for years already. She sometimes helped Shiloh with the bar, but her recent nausea from her pregnancy had her taking time off from work.

When I expressed that I had restaurant experience and had been training as a bartender, Shiloh jokingly informed me that I was hired. I almost said, “If you’re serious, I will move here and start tomorrow.”

Vargmore was everything Tryn said it would be when we first met. A hidden, close-knit community that was just as warm and friendly as it was dangerous and wild. All my yearning for a place to belong, a home that felt permanent and right, felt answered the moment we pulled up to Stout & Spirit. It almost felt like I had been in Vargmore before, had gone away for a while, and then finally returned.

I’d happily help out at that cheery little bar, and if the wolves needed medical attention, I could be an on-call vet. It felt so perfect. So right.

Every mile we passed on Tryn’s motorcycle back to my little apartment felt like he was taking me away from home.

I tried to write it off as just missing what we’d had before, our undeniable connection before I knew about the lies. It was his home, and because I still wanted him, I wanted it to be my home.

Tryn pulled up to my place and to my surprise, killed the engine. I had been expecting him to drop me off.

“I’d like to talk some more, if you’re up for it tonight,” he said over his shoulder. “There’s just more to explain.”

Wasn’t that the truth. He still hadn’t told me why he really left in the middle of the night. Although I was starting to believe he wasn’t married or attached to someone else. Everyone in Vargmore had treated me like, well, a new girlfriend meeting the extended circle of friends.

“Okay.” I slid off the bike, away from the heat of his body, and headed for the front door.

Once we were inside, I felt my nerves start to creep up. Tryn looked nervous too. I could almost feel frazzled energy coming from him. He was about to drop something big. A bombshell.

“Do you want anything? Tea? Coffee?” I flitted around the kitchen like a bird, turning on lights and opening cupboards, unable to sit still.

“No, thank you.” Tryn just stood in my entryway, rubbing his hands together and scratching his beard.

“Should we, um,” I gestured toward the living room, “sit down for this?”

“You can, if you’d like,” he said. “I’d prefer to stand.”

“Okay.”

I headed for the couch and he trailed after until he was standing across from me. He still looked nervous as hell, eyes darted toward the window like he’d rather jump out of it than tell me whatever he needed to.

“Tryn,” I prompted after a long minute of silence. “You’re clearly nervous. It’s making me nervous. So please, whatever it is, just get it out.”

“Okay.” He nodded, then said again, more to himself, “Okay.” Finally, his eyes met mine. “So, you know how I told you the wolves in Vargmore are different?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “A rare subspecies, I’m assuming? Native only to that area?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” He took a deep inhale. “But that’s not what makes them…different.”

“Okay?”

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